Diagnosis
by TheRealAmeliaPond
Summary: Cristina is hold up in Meredith's room watching VH1, Izzie is pining over George, George is freaking out over his exam, Alex wont admit he misses Ava, and Meredith may be losing Derek and discovers just how close her sister is... and not emotionally.
1. Something About The Pot Calling The Kett

**Hey there. I know I'm a big liar and said that I wasn't gonna add anymore stories but I lied. It was just so good, I had to share. Well, I thought it was good anyway, you might not. Oh well, here's the summary:**

**_Everything is going wrong at Seattle Grace. Cristina is hold up in Meredith's room watching 80's movies on VH1, Izzie is pining over George, George is freaking out over his failure of his medical exam, Alex refuses to admit that he misses Ava, and Meredith may be losing Derek and discovers just how close her sister is to her... and not emotionally. Frankly, they need help. And even Bailey throws in the towel on this one, calling in reinforcements. Will they be able to help the gigantic barrel of problems that assail the new doctors? Or will they have enough problems on their own? _**

**Oooo, enticing.**

**Happy reading.**

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**DIAGNOSIS**

**Chapter One: Something About The Pot Calling The Kettle Black **

_Diagnosis. For surgeons, it's essential. Diagnosis is more important than scalpels or know-how or being cool under pressure. You give a wrong diagnosis, and you have an entirely wrong plan of action. The only problem is, once you have a diagnosis, what if you don't like it?_

"Is she okay?" Izzie asked, casting a confused glance up the staircase.

"Absolutely not," Meredith said from the kitchen, putting together a roast beef sandwich. "But she will be." She put the top slice of bread over a layer of lettuce. "I hope," she added uncertainly, taking a big bite.

"Has she been up there since the almost-wedding?" Izzie asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Meredith said, widening her eyes at her roast beef sandwich. "She freaked out at her apartment and then I couldn't leave her there alone, so I drove her over here and she's been in my room ever since." She took another bite off her sandwich. "I've been sleeping on the couch and living off the laundry in the laundry room."

"That's where my bra went," Izzie said, in an 'oh… that makes sense' voice.

"Please," Meredith said, rolling her eyes as she started up another sandwich. "Like I can fit your bras."

"What is it with you, Grey?" Alex asked, eyeing her ever growing pile of sandwiches as Izzie entered the kitchen, sipping her coffee. "Every time someone dies or something, you start making your crappy sandwiches."

"They're _not_ crappy," Meredith said, narrowing her eyes as Alex opened her refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice.

"Oh c'mon, Alex," Izzie cringed as he began drinking straight from the carton. "We have to drink that. You're a doctor for God's sake, you think you'd know proper sanitation rituals."

Alex smirked and then began licking the lid immaturely, slobbering it up.

"Okay, I'm out," Izzie said, shaking her head and exiting the kitchen, heading towards her room.

"So, Casanova," Meredith said, donning her own little smirk. "Did you catch her?"

"What are you talking about?" Alex asked, trying to dodge the subject.

"Oh don't play dumb," Meredith teased as Alex pointedly avoided her gaze. "Ava… did you catch her?"

"Her name is Rebecca," Alex shot back bitterly. "And no, I didn't."

"Oh," Meredith said, taken aback. "Did you look through her records? You can probably find her number or her address or something."

Alex didn't say a thing.

"Oh," she said knowingly. "So we're just ignoring it."

Still nothing.

"Alright," Meredith said, setting a ham and cheese sandwich on a plate. "I'm gonna take this up to Cristina. If you decide to stop living in a state of denial, let me know."

"What was that?" Alex asked with a smug looking smile on his face. "Something about the pot calling the kettle black?"

Meredith turned back to him for a moment, walking backwards towards the stairs with her tongue stuck out at him. As she was halfway turned around to walk forwards, she bumped into Izzie who had returned downstairs.

"Is he done with his licking escapade?" Izzie asked as Meredith regrouped.

"Yeah," Meredith said, nodding as she nudged the sandwich back into the middle of the plate. "Hey, I thought you were going to hang out upstairs."

"Well, I went upstairs to watch the news on the TV in my room only to discover that Cristina has annexed it," Izzie said, walking backwards through the foyer, keeping eye contact as she inched towards the living room. "So I'm going to watch in the living room."

"Oh boy," Meredith sighed, going up the stairs. When she reached her door, she knocked softly. "Cristina?"

No answer, but sounds of the TV could be heard through the door. Meredith decided to go in anyway.

The room as about as depressing as it could possibly be. The blinds on the windows were closed, as well as having a blanket thrown over it, so the room was almost pitch black except for the flickering light from the TV. Crumb-filled plates and empty cups occupied every flat surface except for the floor. And Cristina laid in the middle of the bed, in a sea of haphazard and messy sheets and pillows strewn in random places. Cristina herself looked terrible: she hadn't showered or changed since after she took off the dress, so her hair lay greasy and tangled with bobby pins sticking out in odd directions.

"Hey Mere," Cristina said, sounding nothing like her normal self. She sounded like she was on the verge of a mental breakdown, like she was completely nuts. "Hey Mere, c'mere. Look at this, look at this."

Meredith sighed, setting down Cristina's sandwich on the sole empty counter space on top of her bureau, and sat down on the bed next to Cristina.

"Mere, look," Cristina said, pointing at the screen where "Sixteen Candles" is playing on VH1. "See?" she pointed at the screen during the scene where the senior guy came to the church where Molly Ringwald was and then they get together. "See that? That does _not_ happen. Ever! It's the ultimate piece of crap! Love is a sham. I knew it before, but now it's like… undeniable." She looked up at Meredith. "Love sucks."

"Cristina, you need to eat something," Meredith told her, reaching up and grabbing the sandwich for her. "Here, eat."

"Fine," Cristina said docilely, biting into the sandwich.

"You've been in here for a three straight days," Meredith said to Cristina as she nibbled on her sandwich. "You're going to have to come out sometime."

Cristina ignores me, her eyes fixed on the TV screen.

"Oh god, not you too," Meredith sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Cristina asked.

"I mean everyone here is in a state of denial!" Meredith announced. "Is the truth that bad?"

Cristina looked up and gave Meredith her "duh" look.

"Fine," Meredith sighed, getting up off the bed. "You can stay in your bubble for now. But you'll have to face reality sometime."

Cristina ignored her, and finished off her sandwich as Meredith exited the room.

"Okay you guys!" Meredith shouted once in the foyer, as she pulled her coat out of the coat closet. "I'm leaving! Who wants a ride?"

"Count me in," Izzie says, emerging from the living room. "Just let me put this in the sink."

"Alex?" Meredith asked, pulling her coat on.

"I'm coming," he said from the kitchen, grabbing his jacket as well.

"Hey, is my phone in there?" Meredith asked, searching through her coat pockets. "I can't find it."

"Do you have your pager?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," Meredith said.

"Well that's all you really need," he said. "We'll help you find it later."

"Alright…" Meredith said uncertainly, exiting the front door after Izzie and Alex.

---

"George, just leave it," Callie said as she primped, looking in the mirror. "She'll call back eventually."

"I can't just let her go back into work today not knowing that her half sister is one of the new interns," George said desperately, dialing the number yet again. "I have to warn her."

"But you've called her fifty times," she responded patiently, buttoning up her shirt and stepping into her shoes. "She's obviously not picking up."

"I have to at least try," he said, pressing redial.

"George… here," Callie said, setting down her hair brush and plopping down on the bed, belly first. She took the phone from him gently. "_I_ will tell Meredith about her sister."

"Seriously?" George said, surprised. "You'll talk to Meredith?"

"Yeah," Callie said, smiling. "The two of us have a little rapport going on right now. After all, we were almost-bridesmaids together. Plus I know what the half sister looks like since you pointed her out to me, so I can do any damage control after."

"Alright," George said, relaxing, letting a little relieved smile make it's way onto his face. "You promise?"

"What are we, five?" she joked, propping herself up on her elbows. "Of course I'll tell her."

"Okay," George said, pleased, planting a kiss on Callie's lips. "Thanks."

"No problem," Callie said, rolling off the bed with a grin on her face. "So…" she added, wearing an excited grin, "first day at Mercy West!"

George's stomach suddenly felt like it'd fallen out of his belly and settled down in his toes.

"Uh, yeah," George said, forcing what he hoped was a convincing smile. "Exciting, huh?"

"Yeah!" Callie said, giggling a bit. "I really think you're gonna like it there."

"Yeah, me too," George said, not for a moment letting his face fall like he wanted to.

"What time do you have to be there?" she said, checking the time.

"Oh, uh… eight," George said, thinking on his toes. "Same as you."

"Oh," Callie said, noticing that it was a quarter to eight. "Well, I gotta run, and you should probably do the same pretty soon."

"Oh I know," George said, relieved that she was leaving so he didn't have to keep lying. "I just have to get a few things together and I'll be out the door."

"Okay," Callie said, looking very excited for him as she gave him a hug. "You're gonna do great!"

"Thanks," George said, smiling.

---

Alex, Izzie and Meredith were all standing outside the Chief's office, waiting for him to take them each in, one at a time, for their meetings to discuss their specialty.

"What are you choosing?" Meredith asked, glancing at Izzie, who was leaning up against the wall.

"Cristina's gonna mock me till I die, but I think I'm gonna do Pediatrics," Izzie said thoughtfully.

"Don't listen to Cristina, there's nothing wrong with Pediatrics," Meredith said, good-naturedly rolling her eyes as she leaned up against the wall.

"Yeah…" Izzie said thoughtfully, resting her head on the wall too. "I guess I just want to be able to do something about kids like Hannah. They deserve to know a life that's more than hospital beds and chemo treatments."

Izzie fell silent after that, falling into a reverie. Meredith didn't dare push the issue.

"What about you?" Meredith said, glancing at Alex, who was leaning his back against the wall beside Izzie. "What're you choosing?"

"Uh…" Alex said, not sure whether he wanted to divulge his true choice at the moment, "not entirely sure yet."

"Ah," Meredith nodded. She remained silent for a moment, watching Alex fall into a reverie beside Izzie. "I'm doing Plastics."

"What?!" they both said in unison, jumping away from the wall, as though that was the most ridiculous thing they'd ever heard.

"That certainly got your attention," Meredith said with a little grin.

"Don't scare us like that," Izzie said, putting a hand to her chest as she resumed her spot on the wall. "You could give a girl a heart attack."

Just then a very pretty dark haired girl came down the hall and slowed to a crawl right in front of the Chief's office. She had porcelain skin and delicate features, and small but mysterious eyes.

"Are you guys here for the Chief too?" she asked uncertainly, pointing at the Chief's door. "Sorry, It's my first day and—"

"Say no more," Meredith said with a smile. "Yes this is the Chief's office. We're all waiting to meet with him too, so just stick here."

"Thanks," the brunette said gratefully. "I'm sorry, your name is?"

"Meredith," she said, holding out her hand.

"Lexie," the girl said, shaking her hand firmly. "Nice to meet you."

Suddenly Dr. Bailey emerged from the Chief's office.

"Hey Dr. Bailey," Alex said, pushing himself off the wall. "Just finished a meeting with the Chief?"

"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "I _am_ the Chief now."

No one said a word.

"Well don't look so surprised," she said, affronted, glancing down at her sheet.

---

Callie stood at the nurses station, looking around for Meredith. She knew that George would feel extremely bad if she failed to warn her for him, so she was putting a little extra effort into finding Meredith.

"Hey," Callie said, talking to Burke, who had just shown up. "Have you seen Meredith today?"

"Yeah, actually," Burke said, looking down at the chart in his hand and then up at Callie. "I saw her over by the Chief's office."

"Oh okay," Callie said, hurrying over. "Thanks!"

Just as Callie was approaching the office, she spotted Meredith talking to the sister she didn't know about. She immediately hauled ass over there, trying to prevent her from finding out about her in some shocking way.

"Well don't look so surprised," Bailey said just as Callie arrived.

"Meredith?" she said under her breath. "Can I have a quick word?"

"I'm about to meet with…" Meredith said, like she was trying to steel herself to say the words, "Chief Bailey. Can this wait?"

"Well, Meredith—" Callie started, being cut off by Bailey.

"Grey, I'll meet with you first," Bailey announced, backing into her office.

"Alright," both Lexie and Meredith said at the same time. Both looked at each other shocked.

Callie sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. So much for preventing her from finding out in a shocking way.

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**Oooo... cliffhanger. Let me know what you think! And most of all... REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

**Oh and I know that the title doesn't really cover the whole idea of the chapter, but it sounded so cool when I tried it that I had to keep it. :)**

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	2. The Bailey Brigade

**Hey you guys! What's up! **

**I've been working on this for the past week and here it is! I was very pleased with the review turn out last time, but to make sure no one gets lazy, I will update when I get TEN more reviews! So at 17 total reviews, you all get a review! Teehee, I'm totally evil...**

**Happy reading!**

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**Chapter Two: The Bailey Brigade**

Meredith tossed her jacket down by the front door, not caring where it landed, and went into the kitchen to make herself a comfort sandwich. Today had not been pleasant for her.

Izzie and Alex followed cautiously behind, knowing the touchy mood Meredith was in.

"I'm going upstairs," Meredith said stoically, taking her sandwich upstairs with her as the two watched her climb the stairs. They remained silent until they heard her bedroom door shut, and then went into the kitchen.

"She's really upset about this, huh?" Alex said, leaning down to look in the fridge.

"Well, Alex, think about it," Izzie said sympathetically, sitting down at the island. "She was finally starting to have a family with her dad and Susan, and discovering what a real mother is, and then Susan dies. Not only does she lose a woman who was debatably the best stepmother ever, her father blames her for the whole deal and won't let her come to the funeral. Then her half sister, who, aside from looking strikingly like Susan, is a connection to her father, shows up out of nowhere. As if the poor girl can't escape her father in her own mind, his spawn has to show up…."

"What a sensitive way to put it," Alex said, wrinkling his eyebrows at the sour cream in the fridge.

"You know what I mean," Izzie said, grabbing a banana and peeling it. "God, you certainly chose an interesting time to move in, didn't you?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Oh well, it's not like I didn't suspect this. There's always drama with us."

"What's us?" Izzie said with a mouthful of banana.

"Us," he said simply, pulling out the carton of milk. "The Bailey Brigade."

"The Bailey Brigade?" Izzie said, giggling. "You named us?"

"Yeah," Alex admitted, shrugging as he went to the cabinet to get a bowl and a box of cereal. "Like you said, it's the easy way to refer to the indefinite 'us.' Plus, we're basically the only family any one of us has. I mean, Meredith never really had her mom or dad and now Susan's dead, George has his family, but they live far away and he's not exactly close with his brothers, Christina has her mother but we all know how that goes, you only have your mother, and I don't have anyone; we're all the family we have. So we might as well have a name."

Izzie eyed him, trying to decide if she should tell him or not, as he poured the froot loops in his bowl. She hadn't ever discussed it with anyone except George.

"Alex?" Izzie said, deciding to share it with him. After all, he'd just said they were family. "Can I tell you something? And you promise not to judge?"

"I'll try," he said, looking a little suspicious as he poured milk over the froot loops. "What is it?"

Izzie held up her index finger, indicating she needed just a minute. She looked around making sure that no one was around. After she closed the door to the kitchen she sat back down on her stool.

"Wow," Alex said, taking a bite of the cereal. "This must be something big."

"It is," Izzie said uncertainly, playing with a hangnail on her index finger nervously. "You have to promise not to break out in a speech or treat me like I'm carrying the plague."

"I won't," Alex said in a way that told Izzie he obviously didn't have a clue what she was about to confess. Izzie sighed, steeling herself for what she was about to say as Alex took another bite of cereal.

"I slept with George," Izzie muttered, unable to meet Alex's eyes. An instant later, Alex spit out his cereal and milk, all over Izzie's face.

"Well," Izzie said, wiping the milk out of her eyes, "I pictured a million different reactions to that statement, but I have to admit it none of them involved milk and half-chewed froot loops."

"Sorry," Alex said, looking dazed as he handed Izzie a dish towel to wipe off her face.

"Alex, say something," Izzie said quietly but desperately, dabbing her face with the towel.

"Iz…" Alex said, unable to say anything. "What happened?"

"He'd had a fight with Callie," she explained simply. "He came over here and we got really drunk off whiskey and before I knew it we were in bed together."

"Oh," Alex said, not knowing what else he could say. "Was… was it a Meredith/George thing?"

"No," Izzie said right away. She didn't even need a moment to think about it. "It wasn't."

"So…." Alex said, trying to get more out of her. "What was it?"

"It was… a Izzie/George thing," Izzie said, incapable of thinking up something that would embody exactly what it was. "I don't know how to describe it."

"Try, Iz," Alex said, coming around the island and sitting in the stool beside Izzie. She looked at him. Alex was her friend and she knew that she couldn't keep this from him.

"I'm in love with George," Izzie sighed.

Alex looked extremely taken aback. That certainly hadn't been what he was expecting to hear.

Suddenly the two heard a strange sound, like distant music coming from outside.

"What's that?" Izzie said, shooting a strange glance at the door from the kitchen to the foyer. "That sounds like… oh my god…" she glanced at Alex, her expression a mixture of incredulity and mirth. "Oh Jesus Christ, I think that's Journey!"

"You're joking," Alex said, wearing an expression identical to Izzie's as he followed Izzie into the foyer. "Open the door! Let's see who it is!"

Izzie went to the door, pulling it open to find…

"Move," Meredith said, pushing Cristina unceremonious to the other side of her bed. She plopped down beside her with a groan.

"What's the matter with you?" Cristina asked, glancing over at Meredith.

"My dad's everywhere," Meredith grumbled. She turned her head to look at Cristina. "Lexie Grey, my dad and Susan's daughter, is one of the new interns."

"Wow," Cristina said, raising her eyebrows as through she was mildly surprised. She looked at Meredith. "See what I meant?"

"About what?" Meredith asked.

"About denial," Cristina said slowly. "You asked me if the truth was really that bad. It really is, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Meredith nodded, realizing how right Cristina was. "It is."

Suddenly Meredith heard a sound… like music or something.

"Do you hear that?" Meredith asked, a confused expression on her face.

"Yeah…" Cristina said, sitting up and looking around suspiciously. "What is it?"

Meredith glanced at the window.

"I think it's coming from over there…" she said, looking at the window. She got off the bed and went to the window, pulling it open. Meredith's eyes widened.

"Who is it?" Cristina asked, coming up behind her and seeing just who it was. "Oh my god… McDreamy has lost it."

There, below Meredith's window, with a boom box blasting Journey on his shoulder, was Derek.

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**Haha, hope you liked it. Remember, ten more reviews and I update. Sorry to my pal Lyny Angell, but I need reviews. Lots of them. Desperately. Lol.**

**Much love,**

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	3. Don't Stop Believin'

**Hey people! I usually write a bit about myself at the beginning and since I just posted for one of my Harry Potter stories and wrote out a whole nice little summary of my life since we last met, I'm simply copying and pasting it here:**

**"Well, the past two days of my life have been the crappiest yet. First, I failed my learner's permit test by ONE QUESTION in which I had the right answer originally but then erased, and now I have to return this coming Friday to hopefully pass. Then I find out from the guy I'm going out with that he's just not that into me (like the book :crickets: well excuse me for trying to add some humor to the situation... jk) and that he never really was. Ouch, right? And then I missed my haircut, which would've been fine on it's own, but it was kinda a "straw-that-breaks-the-camel's-back" situation, and plus I have a million split ends that need to be taken care of. **

**And when life gets me down, what do I do? No, I don't try to fix it, silly, I _write_. Lol. So it's to all of yours' benefit."**

**Alright, about the chapter. It's a real good one, but its a tad short. It's not much of a chapter; in fact, it's really more of a chap-let, if you will. But it's really good and if I had added stuff after, it would've seemed unbalanced, like there was this huge climax in the beginning-middle (a word I made up. It means the beginning of the middle. Man, I'm smart...) and a bunch of low key fluff at the end. **

**Okay, please enjoy! And I'm upping the ante for this chapter. Last time it was ten reviews for the chapter... but this time I want TWENTY! MUAHAHAHA! Nah, joking. I'd love twenty reviews though... but I'll update at ten. But still, shoot for twenty.**

**Happy Reading.**

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**Chapter Three: Don't Stop Believin'**

"Oh my God," Meredith said, her eyes wide with shock. What on earth was Derek thinking? Just when she thought the absurdity level of the situation couldn't possible jump any higher, Derek started singing. And not well.

"_Just a small town girl… living in a lonely world…" _he croaked out, the smile on his face clearly saying that he new how terrible his singing was. _"She took a midnight train going ehhhhneeewherrre…"_

"For the love of God, Meredith, make him stop!" Cristina said, eyeing his performance with a disgusted awe, like what she was witnessing was the most disturbing thing she'd ever seen.

"How?" Meredith asked her, half-desperate and half-frustrated. "He seems pretty set on singing for me!"

"Think, Meredith!" Cristina said firmly. "Why do you think he's here?! Because he felt like doing a little karaoke on your front lawn?! No! He wants to talk to you! So go downstairs and talk to him!"

"Right," Meredith said docilely, still partially in shock, as she went to the door.

She hurried down the stairs into the foyer, where Izzie and Alex were looking out the window on the side of the door with looks of mingled shock and awe, like they'd never quite seen something so fantastically crazy in their life.

"Oh my god, Meredith," Izzie said with a look of glee on her face. "He's gone completely bonkers."

"Jesus, what did you do to that guy?" Alex asked her, grinning like an excited little kid in a candy store.

Meredith said nothing, simply pulling them away from the window as she opened the door to go outside. She closed the door behind her, Izzie and Alex peeking out the door right up until the crack between the door and the frame closed.

"_Don't stop… BELIEVIN'!" _Derek sang out before he looked in front of him instead of up towards Meredith's window. As soon as he caught sight of her, he turned off the boom box and set it down on the ground.

For a moment the two just stared at each other, neither really knowing the correct next move. After a few agonizingly silent seconds, Meredith stepped off her porch, taking a few more slow strides towards Derek.

"Derek…" she started off shakily. "What… what are you doing here?"

Derek looked at her for a few more seconds, looking as though he was trying to come up with the right words. Realizing there was a simpler way to say the same thing, he took the remain steps between them and kissed her, kissed her so deeply and passionately, Meredith found herself kissing back involuntarily. When he pulled away, Meredith felt shell-shocked, her whole body trembling and her mind reeling.

"Meredith," Derek said, his voice shaking. She looked up at him cautiously. "I love you. In a really, really big pretend-to-like-your-taste-in-music, let-you-eat-the-last-piece-of-cheesecake, hold-a-radio-over-my-head-outside-your-window, unfortunate-way-that-makes-me-hate-you… love you. And forget about putting me out of my misery. Forget about letting me go. I don't want it anymore. Because if that's what it takes, if that misery is what it takes to be with you, then I'll take it. If all it takes for us to be together is this misery, then I want it. Because Meredith, as much as it sounds like a cliché, you make me so happy… and when I'm with you… all of a sudden the misery isn't such a big deal anymore because it means you're here."

Meredith stood there, stock-still. She didn't know what to say, or to think anymore.

"All I need," he said desperately, "is for you to tell me that you need me too. And I'll wait, Meredith. But you have to choose. Because I won't wait forever."

Derek smiled, that scintillating McDreamy smile that made her crazy, and then left. Meredith stood there, desperately trying to absorb what had just happened. As the sound of Derek's engine starting, she jolted back into reality and walked back to the door, his kiss still lingering on her lips.

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**How do you like them apples? Lol.**

**'Kay, remember, shoot for twenty reviews! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!**

**Love to you all.**

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	4. Proposition to the Fans

**Hey all my faithful fans! What's up? Doing good? I have been much better since the last post: I finally got my permit _and_ took my first driver's training session, I'm over (mostly anyway) the guy, and I got my haircut. :) **

**Okay, well I obviously didn't make this author's note to chat about our lives. The reason I called you all here is to state a proposition. I don't know which specialty to give Meredith, and so I thought, 'hey, who better to pick Meredith's specialty than the adoring fans?' **

**Alright, so reviews are votes, and there's only one per person please. I don't want you going back to previous chapters that you haven't reviewed and going "I WANT HER TO DO NEURO!" or something like that, because that totally gets my hopes up for a REAL review. And you don't wanna crush the hopes of the author, or else I might just do something _evil_... lol just kidding. **

**So I really want ALOT of reviews, so I know that all the fans get to voice their opinion. At this moment, there are 29 people who have Diagnosis on their alert list, but that doesn't account for people that are gonna discover this story after this updates the story. So... well I'd really love thirty or more, but I'll be nice and say 20 minimum. Please, you guys, I really wanna know what you think. Oh and if you'd like, while casting your vote, tell me how you're liking the story. **

**Thanks so much you guys!**

**mystrymoviebrunette**


	5. Bailey This and Bailey That

**Look who's back!!!!!!!!!**

**I'm so so so so SO sorry I haven't updated since summer! I've just gotten so busy that I haven't had time to update this story. For a while I wasn't even sure I was gonna continue, since the new season has already started, but I'll see if you guys still want me to continue (review to let me know whether to continue or not). **

**Alright, things are finally starting to get good. Enjoy.**

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**Chapter 4: **

**Bailey This and Bailey That**

Meredith was not in a good mood.

She should be in a good mood. She wasn't an intern anymore. She was a resident. A neuro resident, for pete's sake. And she had interns. Little, naïve, frolicking interns who thought sunlight shined out of her ass.

But she was not in a good mood. And she had the nagging suspicion that it was because her half-sister was one of her frolicking interns and the fact that she was now innocently trying to be her friend.

Meredith wasn't sure why, but she somehow couldn't stand her, and she was taking unusual pleasure from putting her on scut. Maybe it was that she was obnoxiously beautiful even with her hair pulled back in one of those stubby little buns or that she was related to her father (which needed no clarification), but she did not really want to speak to her, look at her, or be near her.

"Meredith."

There was someone else Meredith did not want to see.

"Derek…" she sighed.

"I just wanted to see how your first day was going," he responded, his McDreamy smile keeping her from protesting further. Lexie came up behind Meredith.

"Dr. Grey, I think you should see this," she said.

Her and Derek's eyes met.

"Oh, hi," she said shyly, grinning.

"Hi," Derek said, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Sorry, if you don't remember," Lexie backtracked, immediately worried that he didn't remember her. "I was the girl from the bar, in case you forgot."

That was all it took for Meredith to have a very un-Meredith moment.

"Alright, that's it," Meredith growled, whirling on Lexie. "I know you're my sister and all, but I don't need family, got it? Because frankly, my 'family' hasn't been much of a comfort lately, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, try asking your dad. You are _not_ my friend and you are _not_ my family. I am your resident, and you are my intern. That's it. Stop trying to make nice already. Understand?"

Lexie nodded, looking down at her shoes.

"And _you_," she continued, turning on Derek. "There was a time where _I_ was the girl from the bar. So don't give me that crap about me leaving you, because you always want the easy way out! When Addison came back, you didn't go back to her because you loved her more, you went back to her because it was easy! And now I went through something and I'm distant, and you want the easy way out!" Meredith shook her head, switching the patient's chart from one hand to the other. "You know what, just take the easy way."

She turned around and took off towards the patient's room. It took the little frolicking interns a few moments to a) realize she was gone and b)catch up.

Meredith walked into the patient's room. Lying on the bed was a girl, about sixteen or seventeen or so.

"Baker, what do you need to know about this patient?" Meredith asked robotically. She was mentally a million miles away and wished she could get out of here.

"Her number," he joked idiotically, high-fiving his nearest male counterpart. Meredith's short fuse couldn't take it.

"SCUT!" she shouted pointing out the door. "BOTH OF YOU!"

The two scurried out of the room like two Chihuahuas with their tales between their legs. Meredith sighed, recomposing herself.

"Sorry about that," she apologized to the patient.

"Please, I should be thanking you," she sighed, smiling. "Boys are stupid."

"That they are," Meredith laughed. "Thomas, what do I need to know about the patient?"

"Female, sixteen, history of chronic tonsillitis," Anna rambled off, stepping forward. "She's been in and out of the hospital for the symptoms for the past two years."

"And what is she in for?" Meredith urged her.

"She was admitted for a scheduled tonsillectomy ," Anna explained.

"Your monkeys are trained well," the patient said, grinning.

"I like to think so," Meredith laughed. "What's your name?"

"Joanna Greene," she said.

"Nice to meet you," Meredith said. "So basically, you're just getting your tonsils taken out. It's pretty simple; we operate, and you eat ice cream while you recover."

"That sounds pretty sweet," Joanna sighed, pushing her sandy blonde hair out of her face. "Hey can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Meredith said before adding a, "Grey, take her vitals."

"So, I've been seeing this guy," she started off. "And—"

"If you're gonna ask me a question about love, I'm gonna stop you," Meredith warned her as Lexie checked Joanna's blood pressure. "Because I suck at it."

"Oh no, I meant I've been seeing a guy passing my _room_," she specified. "He's this ridiculously good-looking doctor, with dark hair and blue eyes." Meredith swallowed hard. "Doctor… something with an 's'…"

"Shepherd?" she offered, trying to hide her gloominess.

"Yeah, that's it!" Joanna declared, smiling with that McDreamy-stuck smile they all got. "Any chance he'll be doing my tonsillectomy?"

"He's neuro, sorry," Meredith chuckled.

"So basically, I've gotta have a brain tumor or something?" Joanna asked.

"Basically," Meredith said.

"Oh well," Joanna sighed. She crinkled her eyebrow, noticing Meredith's downcast look. "You okay?"

"Hm?" Meredith asked, not paying attention. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Nuh uh," Joanna said thoughtfully, shaking her head. "You have a thing for Dr. Shepherd, right?"

"No," Meredith insisted. "Well, yes but…" she stammered and stumbled over her words, "he flirted with one of my interns in a bar! And then he _bragged_ about it to me! And now I found out that she's my half-sister!"

Meredith pointed at Lexie, who was in the process of drawing Joanna's blood.

"Wow," Joanna said, her green eyes wide with pleasant surprise. "No offense, sister-intern, but that's kinda messed up."

"Wait, I didn't know she was my sister until yesterday!" Lexie protested.

"Oh," Joanna said. "Well, Doctor, technically she didn't do anything wrong…"

"That's it," Meredith said moodily, grabbing Joanna's chart and storming out of the room.

Izzie was standing at the nurse's station, leaning on her arms.

"Stevens!" Bailey snapped, coming up beside her. "Where are your interns?"

"They're fine, they're in the clinic," she explained quickly, wanting to speak to Bailey about something else. "Dr. Bailey, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"And what would that be?" she asked, filling out some paperwork.

"See, I'm having this problem with George," Izzie started, continuing at light speed. "But he's not here and I really need to talk to him and I tried calling and calling and I keep missing him and this isn't something we can just ignore and it'll get better so we really need to talk—"

"Whoa, whoa, Stevens," Bailey said, holding up a hand. "I am gonna say something, so listen carefully 'cause I'm only gonna say it once. I am _not _your mother. I am _not_ your confidant or your gal pal or your therapist. I do not want to know your life story or your dreams or your fears, or your dirty little secrets. I am the new Chief! Did you whine to the old Chief about your pathetic social life?! No! Now _I_ am the chief, Stevens, which means you need to find a new person on which to dump all your problems!"

Bailey took off down the hall.

"Chief Bailey?" Alex said, coming up alongside her. "I have to ask you something."

"Finally, some recognition," she noted. "What can I do for you, Karev?"

"I was hoping you could give me some information on the Jane Doe the hospital just released," he asked her calmly.

"Oh," she said, immediately suspicious. "You mean the one from the ferry accident, right?"

"Exactly," he said. "I know she left, but I was worried she may have left too soon and—"

"You want to go out and find her and declare your undying love for her, right?" she asked, a sarcastic grin on her face.

"Well—"

"Listen, Karev," she said, trying and failing to remain patient. "I just gave Stevens the same lecture, so I'll share with you." She cleared her throat, and continued speaking about double the speed she had spoken to Izzie with. "I am not your mother, guidance counselor, pal, drinking buddy, kindergarten best friend, or your therapist. I do not care about your life story, hopes, dreams, secret loves or anything of the sort. I am the Chief! I do not want to help you sort out your inner demons! I am a busy, busy woman and you are a big boy! Sort out your damn problems on your own damn time!"

Bailey stormed off again, rolling her eyes as Alex continued looking as though he'd been set in front of a wind machine.

"Oh, Dr. Bailey," George said, coming from the waiting room in his street clothes. "Can I get some advice?"

"Sure, O'Malley," she said, softening a bit, assuming that he wanted to discuss further his career options now that he'd failed the exams. "What can I help you with?"

"Well, it's kind of complicated," he said, gesturing indistinctly. "I really need to talk to Izzie—"

"Stop right there," she said, immediately ditching her patient, kind demeanor. "Are you telling me that you seriously are asking me, Chief Bailey, to sort out your never-say-die social life?"

"Well," George said, looking—as Cristina would say—rather Bambi-ish. "Yeah…"

"Goodbye, O'Malley!" she shouted, storming off to the nearest on-call room to try and find some piece and quiet.

"Oh, Dr. Bailey, thank god I caught you," Meredith said, jumping in front of the on-call room door just before Bailey could get to it. "I need to talk to you."

"Tell me it's about a patient that is teetering on the edge of death and not about your crappy love life or something of equal or lesser importance," she said, her voice dangerously low and her eyes narrowed.

"Um," Meredith managed to say before Bailey exploded.

"What is it with my interns?!" she screamed, throwing her charts on the ground. "What?! Hm?! Do I look like your mother?! Is there a big sign on the back of my head that says 'come here for loving advice'?! NO, Grey, there isn't, is there?! You all will have to eventually realize that—no matter what you may think—I am not here to be your life coach!"

Bailey stormed off in the other direction.

_Later that night…_

"Thanks for meeting me, you two," Bailey said, ushering a striking brunette and a tall young man into her office. The woman was tall and slender and beautiful, with dark wavy hair and hazel eyes, and the man was about the same age, with a gangly stature and gorgeous mop of sandy brown/blond hair. Both looked extremely young.

"Sure," the woman said in an obliging voice, as she sat down in the chair opposite Bailey's desk. "We were just curious why you wanted to see us."

"I need you two to help us out," Bailey said, wearing that hard expression that got her nicknamed 'the Nazi' as she sat down in her desk chair. "Addison left for California and the chief finally retired, so we need a new obstetrician and a new chief of surgery. And I need someone to straighten out my interns while I take a well-deserved break."

"What's wrong with them?" the man asked.

"Their damn emotional problems are getting in the way of them getting their own positions and getting out of my hair," Bailey snapped. The brunette didn't even flinch.

"They're not even really your interns anymore, Dr. Bailey," the woman said.

"Try telling them that," she said with her usual attitude. "It's always 'Bailey this' or 'Bailey that.'"

"So what do you expect us to do?" she asked, sounding just a little lost as she crossed one leg over the other.

"You two are the geniuses," Bailey said, standing up from her seat and going towards the door. "You figure it out. Meanwhile I'll be in Guadalajara for two months with my husband and son." Bailey was about to fully close the door when she poked her head in again. "Oh by the way you two, you got the jobs."

"Brilliant," the brunette muttered to herself.

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